Lucifer's Angel

I sat there, gazing at the stone, glowing a bright blood red in the light of the lamp as my wife spoke to me. Her words trailed from my memory just as soon as she said them. The jewel before me demanded my absolute attention as my thoughts consumed me. All my life, I thought I had known the world so well, its religions, the military, the secrets to earth’s creation, but all I knew was absolutely wrong. My whole life’s work was wasted to me now, because everything I knew was a lie. All the scientific discoveries that me and my wife had learned of were nothing now.

It was in these moments that I knew finally what I was. I was not a man, but an ant, compared to expanse of everything. I was fragile, small, like a feather in existence, or even less, I was just a speck of dirt in the vastness of space. No, that was what all of the human existence was, now that I knew the truth. Those military goons that had used the Cor Omnium, or Lucifer’s Jewel, as they had called it, to copy and use its powers have known the truth all along about our world, and they seem okay with it. How can they be? Do they not feel this same worthlessness…?

I looked at my wife, and then to the guard standing by the door. There were at least 10 of them around here, some in plain view, some hiding, but all were here to protect the Cor Omnium. Their one and only concern was the protection of the stone, and to keep it out of Lucifer’s grasp, no matter what. I guess they felt no need to protect us, being as if anything happened to us, the jewel would go to our daughter. It would go to her, that is, if the Fuhrer kept his promise.

‘’Do you have to stand there, hanging over our shoulders? It’s annoying as hell,’’ I questioned, getting up from my desk. The soldier looked at me with a passive look.

‘’James, don’t be so rude,’’ My wife, Elizabeth, scolded with a glare. I ignored her comment.

‘’I don’t see why they have to be here when they don’t care about whether we live or die. All they care about is keeping the Cor Omnium safe just so they can later use it as a weapon,’’ I replied. She looked down, her long blond hair shuffling about her shoulders. She knew I was right. I turned my attention to the soldier when she said nothing more.

‘’Tell me, is it the military’s intention to wage war on a god, on Lucifer? If that is so, then you are fools. There is always someone higher than somebody else. How do you feel knowing you are nothing but a speck in the existence of the entire universe, hm? How do you except the fact that all you’ve ever known has been a lie? Even now, those you trust with your life are lying to you, but of course, you can’t be bothered to care. You must be a stoic soldier, at all times, isn’t that right? You are nothing more than a pawn in a game set to over throw the king.’’

‘’James, stop it,’’ Elizabeth snapped, putting her hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off.

‘’No, if you ask me, the stone should go back to Luci-‘’ My words were cut off when the fire in the fire place went out abruptly without even so much as dimming. I stepped closer to investigate the reason, but the soldier stepped in front of me, weapon raised. Elizabeth, who was beside me, took my hand and pulled me near her. She was obviously afraid. She had been ever she learned of Lucifer’s power. I looked down at her and smiled, trying to assure her, but her grey eyes remained, holding the same emotion.

I could barely see now that the only light in the room was from that of the small lamp on my desk. Aside from the little orb of light, everything else was covered in an opaque darkness. The soldier pushed a button on his riffle, turning on a small light that was mostly meant to help with aim. Suddenly, there was a loud crash from the hallway, sending the soldier on alert.

‘’Stay here,’’ he stated flatly in a demanding voice.

‘’Oh, relax; it was probably just the dog trying to get into the fridge. Jake! Come here,’’ I called for him, but he did not come running, as he always did when either Elizabeth or I called his name.

‘’Jake,’’ I called again, walking towards the door. Once again, the soldier blocked me. Instead he walked forward, out into the hall towards the kitchen until Elizabeth and I could only see the light from his gun. There was another crash and suddenly, the rifle hit the ground and the light danced around wildly.

‘’Sergeant,’’ I called, waiting for him to answer.

‘’Sergeant Radcliffe?” I called again.

‘’Run,’’ he called back weakly.

‘’Radcliffe,’’ I yelled, running forward. My foot barely hit the ground before something flew out of the darkness, shooting past my face. I looked back at Elizabeth and my eyes widened in terror as I saw the stunned, blank look on her face and the edge of bladed tentacle piercing through the side of her neck.

‘’Elizabeth,’’ I screamed, rushing towards her. As I reached for her, the tentacle moved in my direction, slicing through the side of her neck. I dodged it, pulling out my knife. Quickly, I sliced it in half, and then jetted forward to catch Elizabeth as she fell to the ground.

‘’Elizabeth,’’ I called again as I caught her. She groaned weakly in pain as I pressed my hand to her neck, trying to stop the bleeding. I turned back to the hall and screamed for help. I heard the sound of boots coming my way, but Elizabeth was bleeding out too quickly.

‘’Elizabeth, stay with me,’’ I whispered, holding her closer to me. She reached her hand up and held out the jewel.

‘’Make sure this gets to Mary,’’ she whispered closing her eyes.

‘’Elizabeth, Elizabeth! Stay with me, come on!’’ I called frantically, tears falling from my eyes. She opened hers slowly, once again to look at me, and then she smiled.

‘’I love you, James.’’ And then her eyes closed again. I called her name, over and over, and over and over again, but she would not open them. Just as the other soldiers crashed down the hallway and into the room, I knew, they were too late.

The woman I loved was dead.